Wildlife hunting and observation blind

ABSTRACT

A blind for hunting and observation of wildlife having a guide assembly and a door assembly moveably engaged with the guide assembly for movement between a concealed position and an open position. A brace pivotally attaches to the guide assembly for movement between a support position for support of the door assembly in the concealed position and a release position for release of the door assembly into the open position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Non-Provisional application claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 61/359,086 filed Jun. 28, 2010, and which isincorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a blind for hunting and wildlifeobservation, and more specifically, to a collapsible blind for huntingor observing fowl.

A wildlife hunting and observation blind is a concealment device thatallows a hunter or observer to view wildlife without detection, or atleast a reduced chance of detection, by the wildlife. Various types ofblinds are available for particular applications. For example,specialized types of blinds can be used to hunt or observe specifictypes of wildlife, such as, deer blinds and waterfowl blinds. Othertypes of blinds are designed for specific locations of use, such as,ground blinds, boat blinds, and pop-up blinds. In addition, blinds canbe categorized by the intended duration of use, such as, permanentblinds, portable blinds, and temporary blinds.

Regardless of the specific application, to be effective and practicalfor use, hunters and observers want blinds with features including, butnot limited to: a clear viewing of wildlife, the ability to camouflagewith various surroundings, quiet operation, minimal motion during use,quick opening, at least some protection from inclement weather,portability, size, ease of set-up, comfort, safety, and affordability.Previous blind designs have failed to incorporate a large number ofthese features together in a single blind, in part because of thefeatures contrasting nature. Generally, enhancing one particular featurecan detract from another feature, making it difficult to provide a blindwith numerous features. For example, a blind that provides a enhancedview of wildlife may detract from the blinds ability to camouflage withits surroundings. Consequently, previous blind designs are limited tospecialized applications and include limited features.

Therefore, there is a long-felt need for a hunting and observation blindthat is applicable in a wide variety of applications and includes manyfeatures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a blind in a concealed position;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the blind in an open opposition;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the blind in the concealedposition;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the blind in the concealed position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the blind in a collapsed position;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a blind;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of mounting assembly frame;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the mounting system of FIGS.5-6;

FIG. 8 is alternate embodiment of an upper mount engaged with a guiderail.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description illustrates the claimed invention byway of example and not by way of limitation. The description clearlyenables one skilled in the art to make and use the claimed invention,describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives,and uses of the claimed invention, including what is presently believedto be the best mode of carrying out the claimed invention. Additionally,it is to be understood that the claimed invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and the arrangements ofcomponents set forth in the following description or illustrated in thedrawings. The claimed invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to beunderstood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for thepurpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, an embodiment constructed in accordance with thepresent disclosure, generally referred to as a collapsible wildlifehunting and observation blind 10, includes a door assembly 12 that ismoveably mounted to a guide assembly 14 for movement between a concealedposition and an open position. A brace 16 supports the door assembly 12in the concealed position and pivots to release the door assembly 12into the open position. The blind 10 can be installed in multiplelocations, including, but not limited to, a pit, a field, or a boat.

The door assembly 12 includes a generally rectangular cover 18 securedto a doorframe 20 with an appropriate means, including, but not limitedto, fasteners or adhesive (FIGS. 2-3). The cover 18 defines an opening22 at an upper end 24 that is sized and shaped for viewing of wildlifeby the hunter. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the opening 22 isgenerally rectangular and sized to minimize detection of the hunter bythe wildlife. For instance, the opening 22 is preferably large enoughfor a hunter to place his head and an accessory, such as an animal calldevice. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that any sizeand shape opening can be used to allow viewing by the hunter whileminimizing detection by the wildlife. The cover 18 is preferably madefrom a recyclable plastic, but can be made form any suitable material,including, but not limited to plastic, metal, or wood. Regardless of thematerial, the cover 18 is preferably strong enough so that when mountedto the doorframe 20 and installed on the guide assembly 14, the cover18, and doorframe 20 can support the weight of at least one person oranimal. In this way, the door assembly 12 enhances the safety of theblind 10 in case persons or animals inadvertently walk or stand on thedoor assembly 12, when the blind 10 is employed in an in-ground or pitblind application. Various types of camouflage, such as grass or loosefoliage, can be detachably secured to the cover 18 using any appropriatemeans, such as, staples, fasteners, adhesives, and the like.

The doorframe 20 includes a pair of side members 26 connected at theirrespective lower ends by a lower cross member 28 and at respectivelocations approximately below the opening 22 with an upper cross member30. An engaging cross member 84 connected to lower cross member 28. Inthe embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the doorframe 20 is preferably made fromaluminum square tubing, for its lightweight, strength, and non-corrosiveproperties. However, any suitable material can be used, including butnot limited to, plastic, wood, other metals, or other materials.

A guide member 32 pivotally attaches to approximately each corner of thedoorframe 20. The guide member 32 is a generally rectangular block thatdefines a bore 34 sized and shaped to moveably engage the guide assembly14. If desired, the bore 34 can be shaped to reduce friction between theguide member 32 and the guide assembly 14, such as rounding or taperingan inner face of the bore 34. Those skilled in the art will recognizethat the guide member 32 can also be a bushing, bearing, journal, orother member that allows movement along the guide assembly 14. The guidemember 32 defines a hole 35 extending along an upper portion forreceiving a fastener 36, such as a pin. The fastener 36 extends throughthe hole 35 and attaches to the side member 26 of the doorframe 20,which allows the guide member 32 to pivot about the fastener 36.Preferably, the guide member 32 is constructed from nylon, for itsability to withstand cold temperatures, resistance to water, andnon-corrosion properties. However, any suitable material can be usedincluding, but not limited to, plastic, metal, or wood.

The guide assembly 14 includes a pair of guide rails 38 extendinggenerally parallel between an upper mount 40 and a lower mount 42. Eachrail 38 is generally L-shaped having a upright lower portion 44, anarcuate intermediate portion 46, and an inclined upper portion 48. Theupper portion 48 is angled relative to the lower portion 44 to form anobtuse angle, preferably at about 110°, to allow movement by gravity ofthe door assembly 12 from the concealed position to the open position.However, any other angles can be used that allows movement by gravity ofthe door assembly 12 from the concealed position to the open position.Each rail 38 is preferably constructed from galvanized steel tubing forits strength, light weight, and corrosion resistant properties. However,those skilled in the art will recognize that other materials can beused, including, but not limited to, plastic, and other metals.

The lower mount 42 is a generally straight rod, preferably constructedfrom aluminum square tubing for its strength, light weight, andcorrosion resistant properties. However, those skilled in the art willrecognize that other materials can be used, including, but not limitedto, plastic, and other metals. A peg 45 extends generally upwardly fromabout each end of the lower mount 42. Each peg 45 is sized to mate witha lower end of a respective rail 38. As shown in FIG. 1, the peg 45inserts into the hollow interior of the galvanized steel tube that isthe rail 38. A pair of tabs 47 extends generally perpendicularly andoutwardly for attachment to the brace 16.

The upper mount 40 is a generally linear flat bar, preferablyconstructed from aluminum for its strength, light weight, and corrosionresistant properties. However, those skilled in the art will recognizethat other materials can be used, including, but not limited to,plastic, and other metals. A pair of tabs 49 extend generallyperpendicularly from respective ends of the bar 40. A pair of pegs 51pivotally attach to respective tabs 49, such as with pins or otherfasteners. Each peg 51 is sized to mate with an upper end of arespective rail 38. As shown in FIG. 1, the peg 51 inserts into thehollow interior of the galvanized steel tube that is the rail 38. In analternative embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the upper mount 140 is a springclip sized and shaped to detachably engage guide rails 38.

The rail 38 and guide member 32 should be sized to define a clearancegap, preferably of about ⅛″ to about ¼. The gap allows foreign material,such as dirt, mud, rock, and water, to pass between the rail 38 andguide member 32 without impeding the movement of the door assembly 12along the guide assembly 14 or significantly damaging the rail 38 or theguide member 32. This provides consistent performance and long life forthe blind. Typically, bushings or bearings engaged with shafts havingclose tolerances are not tolerant to foreign matter and will damage ordestroy the bushings or bearings.

While the present disclosure illustrates a guide assembly 12 with rails38 and guide members 32, other embodiments can be used for movement ofthe door assembly, including, but not limited to, tracks, channels,slides, or other arrangements.

The brace 16 includes a pair of generally linear nested upper and lowermembers 50 and 52, preferably constructed from aluminum square tubingfor its strength, light weight, and corrosion resistant properties. Thelower member 52 pivotally attaches, such as with a fastener, to the tabs47 of the lower mount 42. The upper member 50 has an interior sized toreceive the lower member 52 and defines a plurality of holes to receivea fastener 54 for adjustable engagement with the lower member 52. Inthis way, the upper member 50 can move and secure to different locationsalong the lower member 52, thereby changing the overall length of thebrace 16. A generally L-shaped bracket 56 attaches to the upper end ofthe upper member 50 for seating with the door assembly 12. A cushion 58attaches to the seating face of the bracket 56 to reduce friction andnoise during operation. A bumper 60 attaches to the lower mount 42,preferably made of neoprene, for its tolerance of cold temperatures andwater resistant properties. However other materials can be used. Whenthe door assembly 12 moves to the open position, the bumper 60 absorbsthe impact to reduce the noise and shock on the door assembly 12.

The blind 10 can be moved between an operational position (FIG. 1) and acollapsed position (FIG. 4) for packaging, transporting, or storage. Tocollapse the blind 10, the upper mount 40 is detached from the rails 38and the door assembly 12 is placed in the open position. Next, the rails38 are pivoted inward until generally parallel with the lower mount 42.In this collapsed position, the blind 10 is generally flat, making iteasy to package, transport, or store.

In operation, the blind 10 is positioned within a pit so that theinclined upper portion of the rails 38 is generally planar with the topof the pit. The hunter attaches any desired camouflage onto the cover18. The hunter enters the chamber of the blind 10 and moves the doorassembly 12 to the concealed position. The brace 16 is pivoted to thesupport position where the lower edge of the door assembly 12 seatsagainst the bracket 56 (FIG. 1A). The length of the brace 16 is adjustedto position the door assembly 12 at the proper location. The hunterviews wildlife through the opening 22. At the desired time, the hunterpivots the brace 16 into the release position, such as with a push ofthe hand (FIG. 1B). Gravity pulls the door assembly along the guideassembly 14 until the door strikes the bumper 60 and rests in the openposition. The hunter now has a clear opening to shoot at any targets.

In an alternate embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5-7, the blind 10 includes amounting assembly 70 for installation on a watercraft WC. The mountingassembly 70 includes a pair of generally c-shaped receivers 72 thatmount to the watercraft WC, trough mounting plate 86, such as withfasteners 73, to define channels 74. A generally U-shaped frame 76includes a crossbar 78 shaped and sized for attachment to the lowermount 42, such as with fasteners, with a generally vertical bar 80extending upwardly from each end (FIG. 6). At each upper end of the bars80, generally L-shaped insert 82 extending forwardly and downwardly forremovable engagement with respective receivers 72 (FIG. 7). Each insert82 is sized and shaped to seat within the respective channels 74.

Changes can be made in the above constructions without departing fromthe scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained inthe above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. For example,the blind 10 can be used in other applications, including, but notlimited to, a boat or a upright position. In an another alternateembodiment, a biasing element, such as a spring or bungee cord, can beattached between the door assembly 12 and the lower mount 42 or betweenthe door assembly 12 and the upper mount 40 to bias the movement of thedoor assembly 12 between the open position and the concealed position.

1. A blind for hunting and observation of wildlife, comprising: a guideassembly; a door assembly moveably engaged with the guide assembly formovement between a concealed position and an open position; and a bracemoveably attached to the guide assembly for movement between a supportposition for support of the door assembly in the concealed position anda release position for release of the door assembly into the openposition.
 2. The blind of claim 1, wherein the blind is configured forinstallation in a pit.
 3. The blind of claim 1, the door assemblyfurther comprising: a cover defining an opening shaped and sized forviewing of wildlife by an operator with reduced detection by thewildlife; and a guide member moveably attached between the cover and theguide assembly.
 4. The blind of claim 1, wherein the guide assemblyfurther comprises: an upper mount; a lower mount; and a guide railextending between the upper mount and the lower mount, the guide railhaving a generally upright lower portion, an arcuate intermediateportion, and an inclined upper portion.
 5. The blind of claim 1, whereinthe brace further comprises: an upper member; and a lower memberadjustable connected to the upper member for adjustment of the length ofthe brace.
 6. The blind of claim 1, further comprising, a mountingassembly attached to the guide assembly for removeably attachment to awatercraft.
 7. The blind of claim 1, wherein the blind is collapsible.8. A collapsible blind for hunting and observation of wildlife,comprising: a guide assembly having an upper mount, a lower mount, andguide rails extending between the upper mount and the lower mount, theguide rails being detachable from the upper mount for pivotal movementof the guide rails to a collapsed position; a door assembly moveablyengaged with the guide assembly for movement between a concealedposition and an open position; and a brace moveably attached to theguide assembly for movement between a support position for support ofthe door assembly in the concealed position and a release position forrelease of the door assembly into the open position.
 9. The blind ofclaim 8, wherein the blind is configured for installation in a pit. 10.The blind of claim 8, the door assembly further comprising: a coverdefining an opening shaped and sized for viewing of wildlife by anoperator with reduced detection by the wildlife; and a guide membermoveably attached between the cover and the guide assembly.
 11. Theblind of claim 8, wherein the brace further comprises: an upper member;and a lower member adjustable connected to the upper member foradjustment of the length of the brace.
 12. The blind of claim 8, furthercomprising, a mounting assembly attached to the guide assembly forremoveably attachment to a watercraft.
 13. A blind for hunting andobservation of wildlife, comprising: a guide assembly having an uppermount, a lower mount, and rails extending between the upper mount andthe lower mount, the rails being detachable from the upper mount forpivotal movement of the rails to a collapsed position; a cover definingan opening shaped and sized for viewing of wildlife by an operator withreduced detection by the wildlife; a guide member moveably attachedbetween the cover and the guide assembly; and a brace moveably attachedto the guide assembly for movement between a support position forsupport of the door assembly in the concealed position and a releaseposition for release of the door assembly into the open position. 14.The blind of claim 13, wherein the blind is configured for installationin a pit.
 15. The blind of claim 13, the door assembly furthercomprising: a cover defining an opening shaped and sized for viewing ofwildlife by an operator with reduced detection by the wildlife; and aguide member moveably attached between the cover and the guide assembly.16. The blind of claim 13, wherein the brace further comprises: an uppermember; and a lower member adjustable connected to the upper member foradjustment of the length of the brace.
 17. The blind of claim 13,further comprising, a mounting assembly attached to the guide assemblyfor removeably attachment to a watercraft.